Tobacco fields, blenders, factoris in SE.

Hope you get some help on this, jpmwjr. Generally the guys are more helpful. Summer vacations and so forth may be distracting them.

I used to live in Augusta and do not remember any folks blending tobacco there. I did meet a guy in Savannah who grew and blended his own but he has since died and obviously is not producing anything for us poor mortals...

Good gosh yes. The smokingpipes.com people have a pipe shop and tobacco blending facility down near Myrtle Beach in S.C.; look up their address on their web site and be sure to buy some of the Low Country blends while there. I'd recommend Cooper, one of their blends. En route, if you happen through Raleigh, N.C., a great old independent pipe shop is Pipes by George on Hillsborough Street just east, toward downtown, of the NCSU campus, in a little row of retail include a bicycle shop and tattoo parlor. For tobacco farming, you might contact the departments of agriculture in Virginia and North Carolina and inquire about agri-tourism at tobacco farms. You want to visit farms by invitation or agreement; these are busy people and don't want people dropping by on them. Alas, the fine old tradition of the tobacco auction is pretty well gone. You might be able to track one down, but it would take work, and the right season, day, and location. I think most leaf these days is grown under contract, and the growing of tobacco is under strict allotments which are jealously guarded. Despite the great sadness recently visited on Charleston, it is a magnificent city, worth touring. Pick your restaurants carefully (get a guide book) for both fine dining and informal food. Don't waste a single meal at chain restaurants or hotels. Savannah is also a beautiful city, but a tad rougher than Charleston -- or it was some years ago. Just mind your whereabouts and don't wander late after imbibing a lot and you'll do fine.

Never been to Georgia but have seen tobacco fields dotting the hills around Sparta, N.Carolina,which is probably the only place left in the south where pipes are made--at the Grabow factory. You can buy pipes there,they have pipes on display in the lobby. Up until a few years ago it was possible to get a tour of the factory. The only tours they've done in the last couple of years has been for a group of guys from the DGCF and this years tour may have been the last time they do that.

A friend who lives in Piney Creek,a few miles from Sparta, rents part of his farm to a tobacco grower.

I live just north of Atlanta so the best is offer up a decent shop on the East side of town that's ok for a tin of tobacco. Nothing you can't find online though.
How long do you plan on visiting the city, and where will you be staying, will you have access to a rental car? Depending on the timing there's a pipe club in Hiram(city slightly NW of Downtown) that meets once a month. There's a few guys that post here that attend. I try to go when time permits.

Jpmcwjr, wow. Sorry to hear that. Keep us posted on your condition. I will pray for your improvement.